Zimbabwe - Arrests of Trade Unionists

HE Mr Gabriel Mharadze Machinga
Ambassador
Zimbabwe House
429 Strand
London WC2R 0JR

date: 16 May 2008

contact: Bandula Kothalawala

direct line: (0) 20 74671257

email: bkothalawala@tuc.org.uk

Dear Ambassador

Arrests of Trade Unionists

On behalf of the TUC General Council, I write to express our deep concern over the arrest of

Mr Raymond Majongwe, General Secretary of the Progressive Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) and a member of the General Council of Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) on 15 May 2008 in Harare.

We urge you to pass on our deep concern over the safety of the colleagues to your Government, use your influence with the authorities to secure their immediate release and ensure that all Zimbabweans are allowed to exercise their democratic rights without interference from the State.

Our information is that Mr Majongwe was arrested at the High Court on 15 May 2008 when he attended the hearing of the bail application of Wellington Chibebe, General Secretary of ZCTU and Mr Lovemore Matombo, President, who have now been in detention since 8 May 2008 in connection with the speeches made by them on May Day. We have also learnt that Mr Majongwe's arrest was linked to PTUZ material on the violence inflicted on teachers at their workplaces during the current wave of political unrest in your country.

The arrests of trade unionists for organizing activities relating to the exercise of their legitimate rights constitute a gross violation of the ILO Declaration of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Moreover, your country, which ratified Convention 98(1998) and Convention 87 (2003), is obliged to observe the workers' rights enshrined in them. These arrests will, no doubt, tarnish the image of your country and further aggravate the current problems, making national dialogue and reconciliation even more difficult.

Yours sincerely

Brendan Barber

General Secretary